I’m excited to be on the ground in Tempe working to educate voters about Proposition 475, which is on the ballot tomorrow, August 26. Proposition 475 will amend the city charter to add new protections against discrimination and ensure that Tempe employees who are gay, transgender or of veteran status are protected.

I am hopeful that Tempe voters will send a message to the rest of the country that Arizona is moving forward to advance equality and fairness. A recent tracking poll commissioned by Arizona Liberty Alliance indicates that Proposition 475 was the choice of a solid majority of those who voted during the window for early voting. These results are in keeping with earlier polls that showed 65 percent support for Proposition 475.

These favorable numbers are a direct result of the work done by our broad coalition of supporters, from veterans groups to small businesses to individuals of all political backgrounds. HRC has contributed staff time and phone bank technology to the campaign, and along with our local partners made calls and went door to door communicating with Tempe voters that Proposition 475 is good for business, good for workers, and good for Tempe.

Despite the momentum, we’ve been taking nothing for granted and have been making a strong final Get Out The Vote push. Though Tempe is home to Arizona State University, this mid-summer primary election ballot will likely have higher than usual Republican turnout because of the number of contested Republican primaries, coupled with low voter turnout overall.

If you live in Tempe or have friends or family that do, please stress the importance of voting “yes” on Prop 475. Tempe voters can drop off ballots or vote at their nearest polling location from 6 a.m. till 7 p.m. on Tuesday.